


At The End

by orphan_account



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Drabble, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-12
Updated: 2014-04-12
Packaged: 2018-01-19 02:16:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1451767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"We've had our fun, my friend."</p>
            </blockquote>





	At The End

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [Camelot Land](http://camelot_land.livejournal.com/)'s image prompt "beside the sea."

“Is this it?” Merlin asked, taking Arthur’s hand as they walked along the misty beach. “Do you think this is it for us?”

Arthur looked up at the sky, trying to find the sun through the thick fog and failing. He didn’t know how to answer Merlin, because he wasn’t sure himself.

“Maybe,” he said. “I have to admit I thought it would be different. More abrupt, somehow. Not just...fading.”

They picked their way along the grassy shore, approaching a rock face where waves crashed against the mossy side in a steady rhythm. The sound of it made Arthur feel suddenly sad, a heavy weight settling over his chest.

“It’s weird to think we’re the last of them,” Merlin said, mirroring Arthur’s thoughts. It no longer surprised Arthur how in sync they were, not after all this time. “Of everyone. That no one else gets to see all this.”

“Yeah. I suppose there will still be animals, though.”

Merlin chuckled. “Yes, I suppose that’s true.”

He sighed and stopped when they reached the rock, turning around to slide down and sit up against it. Arthur followed him, sitting close enough that their sides touched.

There was just the sound of the waves for a few moments again before Merlin leaned over, dropping his head on Arthur’s shoulder. “What now?” Merlin asked.

There had been many times when Arthur had asked Merlin the same question. After every adventure, every victory, every just cause served, he had looked to his friend, his lover, his advisor, and asked where they went from there. Merlin rarely asked Arthur for guidance in such serious matters.

But now he looked up at Arthur as though he was tired, as though he wanted his king to take over and make things better. It was clear that Merlin knew Arthur had hardly a better idea than him about what happened now, now that everyone was gone and only they two walked the earth. And yet he was still asking, evidently expecting a definite answer. Maybe he just needed to hear something, anything.

Arthur raised his arm and wrapped it around Merlin’s shoulders, pressing a kiss to the top of Merlin’s head. “Now we wait.”

Merlin’s exhale was a little shaky, and as his arm slid around Arthur’s waist, Arthur wondered if he was crying, or if he would start to. He wouldn’t blame him. Arthur’s eyes felt heavy with tears as well.

“It’s been an honour serving you,” Merlin whispered.

Arthur couldn’t help it; the tears spilled over and he choked back a sob. “You’ve been terrible, Merlin,” he said, sniffling. “Really, I mean it. The worst servant I’ve ever had.”

Merlin laughed once, brokenly, breathily, and when he spoke he sounded just as tight-throated as Arthur. “I can’t believe I became friends with such an arse.”

Arthur echoed Merlin’s hollow chuckle, gripping him close as he cried into Merlin’s hair. It seemed right somehow, that it ended how it began, that of everything they had lived through, thousands of years of being together, Merlin chose that to reply with.

Merlin raised his head, forcing Arthur to move back and look into his eyes, eyes that even after all these years still retained a youthful spark while simultaneously being ancient and wise. Arthur wondered if his own blue eyes looked so beautifully haunted.

He saw the slow bobbing of Merlin’s Adam’s apple as Merlin swallowed around the lump in his throat. “Thank you, sire,” Merlin forced out.

Arthur could see it then, the gradual lessening of Merlin’s colour, like a vivid image going black and white. He could see the slow fade beginning, the shimmering of Merlin’s form, even as he started to feel a bit light himself, as though he would float away any second.

He held Merlin’s face and kissed him, more hot tears surging forth at the thought that this would be the last time he’d feel it, that this would be the last kiss on earth. That it was ending.

He pressed his forehead to Merlin’s, tucking a strand of hair behind his lover’s ridiculous ear and cupping his cheek. “We did great things,” Arthur said into the space between them. “We were brilliant.”

Merlin smiled through his tears. “We were. We kicked arse.”

Arthur wiped away a fallen tear on Merlin’s cheek with his thumb. It nearly didn’t happen. His fingers were starting to slip through.

“We’ve had our fun, my friend,” he whispered.

It seemed to be the last thing Merlin needed. Merlin closed his eyes and sighed, his form finally dissolving altogether, his outline swirling as he became part of the mist.

It wasn’t long after that that Arthur followed, not even a second. He inhaled as his hands suddenly grasped empty air, but his exhale never left his lips, and his body joined Merlin’s, blown into the wind.

And then there was only the grassy shore, the crashing of the waves, and the sun trying to shine through the fog.


End file.
